| Music to the NFL’s ears – fans in Australia as unhappy they paid such high prices to make the big opening game a sellout. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: Tickets to the NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia had high prices and sold fast anyway, which is good for the NFL’s bottom line but bad for the fans of American football Down Under who say they were priced out of seeing the Week One game between the 49ers and Rams in Melbourne. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that many fans said there was no realistic way to get tickets, as tens of thousands of people were in the virtual Ticketmaster line the moment tickets went on sale. One fan said within 26 minutes of tickets going on sale, the only seats left were ones with restricted views, with prices ranging from $560 to $630 Australian ($392 to $441 American). The NFL’s Australia office said more than 151,000 fans registered their interest in buying tickets to the game at Melbourne Cricket Ground, which has a capacity of 100,000. The Rams-49ers game kicks off at 8:35 p.m. ET on Thursday, September 10, which in Melbourne is 10:35 a.m. on Friday, September 11. Local Australian officials told the NFL that there was huge demand for an NFL game in Australia, and that the game would sell out the Melbourne Cricket Ground at any time on any date. The fast sales of tickets for a Friday morning game have proven that true. And frustrating to the fans who can’t get in.– – -QB FERNANDO MENDOZA has decided not to go to Pittsburgh to hear his name called at the top of the draft and have his picture taken with The Commish. Eva Geitheim of SI.com: In just over two weeks, commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to commence the 2026 NFL draft in Pittsburgh by announcing that the Raiders are selecting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick. Mendoza, however, is not expected to be there to join Goodell on stage and pose with his new team jersey and cap. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Mendoza has informed the NFL that he will not be attending the draft in person because he plans to celebrate with his family in Miami instead. The broadcast will likely show Mendoza enjoying the moment remotely, as the league typically does with players who don’t go to the draft. Though many presumed No. 1 picks—and first-round picks in general—choose to attend the draft in person for the experience, Mendoza is far from the first No. 1 pick to opt out of going to the event. Several players have chosen to watch the draft and celebrate with all their friends and family back home, as Mendoza will do this year. What other No. 1 picks have not attended the NFL draft?Up until 1980, the NFL draft—previously known as the annual player selection meeting—was not even televised. The NFL draft began in 1936, but did not hit television until ESPN pitched the idea to then-commissioner Pete Rozell. Within several years of being on the air, the top players were already receiving invites to attend the draft in person. In the 1980s, during the infancy of the event’s appearance on television, No. 1 picks such as Bruce Smith (1985), Vinny Testaverde (1987) and Troy Aikman (1989) were among the players to attend the draft in person. As the event became more popular over the years, more and more prospects began attending in person. Assuming the Raiders take Mendoza with the top selection, he will be the first No. 1 pick to not attend the draft in person since Travon Walker in 2022. Walker instead opted to watch the draft with his family at a hotel in Atlanta. While the last three No. 1 picks—Bryce Young, Caleb Williams and Cam Ward—all attended the draft in person, several recent top picks have not. This includes 2020 No. 1 pick Joe Burrow, who did not have the option to attend the draft in person since the entire event was held remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s a list of other No. 1 picks since 2000 that have not attended the NFL draft: Travon Walker, Jaguars (2022)Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars (2021)Joe Burrow, Bengals (2020)Baker Mayfield, Browns (2018)Myles Garrett, Browns (2017)Jameis Winston, Buccaneers (2015) It does appear to be a more recent trend in the last decade that some No. 1 picks opt against attending the draft in person. Every No. 1 pick in the 2000s was present at the event when they were selected. Though the draft remains a huge event that sees lots of players still attending, several players, like Mendoza, are choosing to watch it elsewhere. |
| NFC NORTH |
| MINNESOTAAlec Lewis of The Athletic on the extended “interim” run of Rob Brezinski as GM and whether or not he will get the gig fulltime. This is fascinatingly rare. In most cases, professional sports organizations don’t navigate pivotal free-agent periods and drafts without backfilling lead executive positions. But that is precisely what the Minnesota Vikings are doing. It’s a strategic and notable choice. The Vikings knew they needed to make critical decisions at the quarterback position. They were also aware of the magnitude of having nine picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. Yet they forged ahead with front office veteran Rob Brzezinski as the interim general manager. Last week, at the NFL league meetings in Arizona, Vikings owner Mark Wilf said the team was still in the early stages of finding a replacement for fired GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. “We’re beginning to lay the groundwork,” he said. Why the delay? And what does this mean for the eventual successor? Fans aren’t the only ones asking these questions. Other team executives have poked around on these topics, too. The answers are fairly straightforward. The Vikings did not want to install an untrusted voice at a time of flux following Adofo-Mensah’s ouster. Meanwhile, ownership is approaching the hiring cycle with a clear vision of the type of person it wants in charge. Analytics expertise is not a priority, and scouting chops aren’t a deal breaker. What, then, are the Vikings after? “A leader of the organization who can communicate and deliver,” Wilf said. He used the word “leader” multiple times during the media session. It wasn’t accidental. Ding Adofo-Mensah for his drafts if you wish, but the primary reason for his dismissal was his inability to meld the personnel staff’s vision with the coaching staff’s preferences. Differences of opinion on specific players and situations furthered an early disconnect. Above all, in targeting their next GM to work with head coach Kevin O’Connell, the Vikings are hoping to establish an infrastructure that collaborates as much in practice as in theory. This coincides with the changing responsibilities of GMs around the league. Rick Spielman, who held the Vikings’ GM job from 2012 to 2021, and who has recently consulted with the owners of the Washington Commanders and New York Jets, said recently that the job has “significantly evolved.” Background is less important, he said, than the ability to galvanize. John Schneider, the Seattle Seahawks’ general manager, came up as a scout. Howie Roseman graduated from law school before climbing the Philadelphia Eagles’ ranks. Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach built his career from the beginning as a coaching intern. Their commonality? They are all easy for their organizations to get behind. “Yeah, you have to be able to evaluate talent,” Spielman said. “And yeah, you have to know the salary cap. But your ability to manage people, to get everybody moving in the same direction, to take your ego out of it to make the best decision for the organization based on everything you have been able to decipher — that’s what this job is.” Brzezinski being tabbed in the interim was an obvious pick given all of the internal dynamics. Ownership knew the coaches appreciated Brzezinski’s personality and acumen. For more than two decades, Brzezinski has attended every draft meeting and observed each training camp practice without seeking any additional influence. The coaches viewed him the way employees across the organization have for nearly two decades: as personable and knowledgeable. Ownership understood this. It also felt that he would make moves in the best long-term interest of the franchise. General manager opportunities don’t arise often, so there’s often a temptation to act in the interest of short-term results to boost one’s approval rating. Brzezinski didn’t spend aggressively on any particular free agent. The Vikings made a major addition in quarterback Kyler Murray, but he’s a low-risk option driven by coaching expertise. Ahead of the draft, Brzezinski has continued to adopt the phrase that the Vikings “aren’t going to manufacture what’s not there.” His point? Minnesota won’t go out of its way to land a player at a position of need because needs are always changing. The Vikings’ 2026 roster could use a safety, for example, but that doesn’t mean their only chance at filling that long-term need is in one specific round of this draft. “You have priority positions that you’re going to focus on,” Brzezinski said last week. “But again, you can’t manufacture what’s not there. So, we’re trying to look at the depth, who are good Vikings fits, and who are really good football players. Just not trying to overcomplicate it.” This is a pragmatic philosophy. It’s a blueprint that, like many in recent months, the Vikings’ personnel and coaching staffs are collectively on board with. Considering the tension that swept through the third floor of the TCO Performance Center in the months leading up to Adofo-Mensah’s removal, this should not be taken for granted in ownership’s overall calculus. Brzezinski has never publicly jockeyed for the position, which makes the future a bit murky. And even last week, when one reporter asked him directly whether or not he wants the job, Brzezinski sidestepped the question in a way that would be like opting not to dunk an alley-oop. He reiterated his focus on the present. And he sounded, for a lack of a better way to say it, like a leader. “We want to get this right,” he said. “And I believe we’re going to get it right.”. |
| NFC EAST |
| NEW YORK GIANTSGiants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy likes the way his new quarterback throws darts. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy thinks he has a good one in quarterback Jaxson Dart. At the start of the Giants’ offseason program on Tuesday, Nagy said he has been a fan of Dart’s since before getting the Giants job. Last year Nagy was with the Chiefs, who weren’t considering drafting a quarterback in the first round, but he said he still looked at the top quarterbacks in last year’s draft and came away impressed with Dart. “I was able to watch a decent amount of Jaxson last year, when I was in Kansas City,” Nagy said. “We tried to take as little time as possible watching the quarterback position, but every year I will watch just to see the top guys that are there, and I remember coming away impressed with Jaxson and his accuracy.” Nagy said it has been refreshing watching Dart in multiple contexts, first at the 2025 Scouting Combine, then when catching Giants games last year, and finally in the last couple months after Nagy was hired in New York. “I didn’t know how tough he was and how good a runner he was,” Nagy said of Dart. “At the Combine, us not really being in the quarterback market, watching him, just observing how he handled himself in that group of quarterbacks at the Combine, you could see this moxie he had, this it factor. When I got here to New York and started meeting with him, you could tell right away that was true. This kid is different in that way.” Building an offense around Dart and helping him develop into a franchise quarterback is the most important job for Nagy in New York. If Dart is as good as Nagy says he is, it’s a job that should get done. |
| PHILADELPHIAMatt Okada of NFL.com comes up with six possible trades for WR A.J. BROWN: The rumor mill is always churning around the NFL, with a new story of some significance dropping almost daily. But one particular piece of theoretical news has intrigued fans for weeks, months and at this point, even a couple of years. Will the Eagles trade wide receiver A.J. Brown? And if they do, where will he land? When asked about the rumors at the Annual League Meeting last week, Philadelphia head coach Nick Sirianni reiterated that “Nothing’s changed there. A.J.’s an Eagle.” General manager Howie Roseman repeated a version of that refrain. Candidly, these sentiments are simple observations, not answers about Brown’s long-term status. So, until something actually happens, we are left with little but (informed) speculation. As for what that speculation suggests, I’ve listed six teams below that seem best positioned to win the A.J. Brown sweepstakes, along with potential packages that would make sense to send to Philadelphia in return. Notably, trading Brown before June 1 would come with a significant dead-money hit for the Eagles in 2026 — $43.4 million, versus just $16.4 million if he’s dealt after June 1, per Over The Cap. So it might behoove Philly to wait. That said, given where we are in the offseason cycle, we’ll approach the move from a pre-draft perspective, weighing potential scenarios that might compel the Eagles to cash Brown in for picks that can be used this April. New England Patriots Patriots receive:WR A.J. Brown2026 6th-round pick (No. 197 overall) Eagles receive:2026 1st-round pick (No. 31)2026 4th-round pick (No. 125)WR Kayshon Boutte The Patriots have figured as a potential landing spot for Brown all offseason, and it makes a lot of sense. Drake Maye led New England to the Super Bowl with Stefon Diggs narrowly cresting 1,000 yards and no other wide receiver reaching 600 on the season. More concerning was that no wideout totaled 200 yards across New England’s four-game playoff run, with Diggs putting up 110 yards in the postseason. This offseason, the team released Diggs and signed Romeo Doubs, whose career high is a mere 724 receiving yards in a season — meaning the Patriots are once again set to field one of the barest, lowest-upside receiver rooms in the entire league. Brown would step into New England as the clear-cut No. 1 and he’d probably be franchise’s most legitimate “X” receiver since Randy Moss nearly two decades ago. Brown is also an excellent fit for Maye’s arm and the Patriots’ downfield offense. Since coming into the league in 2019, he’s registered 22 deep touchdowns, the third-most in the league in that span, and his 101.7 receiving EPA on deep targets ranks fourth-highest, according to Next Gen Stats. Speaking of his draft selection, the head coach who landed Brown early in the second round in Tennessee back then was Mike Vrabel. A Brown-Vrabel reunion checks a lot of boxes, as long as the teams can come to an agreement on compensation. P.S. The recent news that the Eagles and Patriots will hold joint training camp practices in Foxborough makes this all the more intriguing. Los Angeles Chargers Chargers receive:WR A.J. Brown2027 4th-round pickEagles receive: 2026 1st-round pick (No. 22)WR Quentin Johnston The Chargers approach the table with a stronger receiver room than the Patriots already in place. They’ve taken a wideout in the top 55 picks in each of the last three drafts, and Tre Harris (No. 55 overall in 2025), Ladd McConkey (No. 34 in 2024) and Quentin Johnston (No. 21 in 2023) theoretically comprise a better starting trio than that put forth by a sizable chunk of other teams around the NFL. However, not one of those players was consistently excellent last season, and Los Angeles finished the 2025 campaign without a single player surpassing 800 receiving yards, while veteran Keenan Allen — currently unsigned — led the way in receptions, with 81. Johnston is also entering the final year of his rookie deal, and the front office must decide by May 1 whether or not to exercise his $18 million fifth-year option for 2027. Brown is a solid fit for new OC Mike McDaniel’s offense, which has historically thrived on in-breaking routes. Brown logged the sixth-most receiving yards over expected on such routes last season, per NGS. Also, under McDaniel in 2025, the Dolphins accumulated 57.6 percent of their passing yards after the catch (third-most in the NFL) — another dangerous aspect of Brown’s game. He would be a threat at every level for Justin Herbert — opening the offense up like it was early in the QB’s career — and give the front office the freedom to offload Johnston. It doesn’t hurt that the Chargers currently have the third-most salary cap space in the league, giving them the leeway to pick up the veteran receiver’s sizeable salary. Buffalo Bills Bills receive:WR A.J. Brown Eagles receive:2026 1st-round pick (No. 26)2027 2nd-round pick On the one hand, you could theorize that Buffalo’s trade for DJ Moore would take the team off the market for another top-tier wideout. On the other, you could take the move as a sign of the Bills’ commitment to optimizing Josh Allen in 2026 and beyond. In that scenario, it’s not all that hard to imagine forming an elite outside receiver duo to complement Khalil Shakir in the slot and James Cookin the backfield. With the addition of Brown, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better offense, at least on paper. The Bills used 11 personnel at an above-average rate in 2025, despite rolling out Shakir, Keon Coleman and Josh Palmer as their top three wideouts. From 2020 to 2023, which were the most productive years of Allen’s career with Stefon Diggs in tow, Buffalo used 11 personnel at the seventh-highest rate in the league. A passing attack led by Brown and Moore could ascend to the same stratosphere as the Bengals or Rams. Buffalo will need to surrender the 26th overall pick to make this happen, which would mean missing on a top-tier defensive piece or less costly rookie receiver. But if trading for Brown makes Joe Brady’s offense the most dangerous in the NFL, it might be worth it. Tennessee Titans Titans receive:WR A.J. Brown2026 5th-round pick (No. 178) Eagles receive:2026 2nd-round pick (No. 35)2027 1st-round pick The goal for GM Mike Borgonzi should be to find a catalyst for second-year QB Cam Ward, much like Stefon Diggs was for Josh Allen and A.J. Brown was for Jalen Hurts. Free-agent addition Wan’Dale Robinson is an excellent fit in Tennessee, but he’s not a bona fide WR1. The Titans could find a solution in the draft, but that approach brings higher risk and potentially a longer timeline. The one big wrinkle with the Titans, of course, is the fact that they drafted Brown back in 2019, and then traded him to the Eagles for first- and third-round picks in 2022. It would be a strange twist, but not entirely unprecedented. Deion Branch followed a similar path between the Patriots and Seahawks in the 2000s. The Titans also could be the best-suited team to take on Brown’s contract, as they have the most salary-cap space right now ($63.2 million at the time this was posted). Tennessee’s position in the draft does make compensation interesting, as its only first-rounder is the fourth overall pick, but perhaps Philadelphia would be willing to push the desired first out to 2027 for a more lucrative overall return. Las Vegas Raiders Raiders receive:WR A.J. Brown2026 1st-round pick (No. 23) Eagles receive:Edge Maxx Crosby2026 3rd-round pick (No. 67) The Patriots need a WR1 for their third-year QB. The Titans need a WR1 for their second-year QB. Why not get a head start in Las Vegas and snag a WR1 for a rookie quarterback? Heisman Trophy winner and national champion Fernando Mendoza is mere weeks away from fulfilling his apparent destiny as the long-presumed No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, but his top wide receiver on arrival would be either Jalen Nailor, Tre Tucker or Jack Bech. Mendoza’s No. 1 pass-catching option would technically be tight end Brock Bowers, but the rookie will have a tough time finding his footing in Year 1 without another strong receiver in the fold. Keep in mind, Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the league last season with a 35.8% target share as the focal point of new head coach Klint Kubiak’s offense in Seattle. Should Brown make his way to Vegas this offseason, he would immediately step into top-tier volume in this receiver room — something he’s frequently campaigned for in Philadelphia. In terms of compensation, the Eagles’ top need — according to NFL IQ — is edge rusher. Maxx Crosby is still on the Raiders’ roster after the trade with the Ravens fell through earlier this offseason. Crosby’s trade value is a bit higher than Brown’s, but Howie Roseman adding in a little extra pick compensation could turn this potential deal into one of the more mutually beneficial blockbusters in recent history. Baltimore Ravens Ravens receive:WR A.J. Brown Eagles receive:2026 1st-round pick (No. 14)2026 3rd-round pick (No. 80) Over the course of his career, Lamar Jackson has done most of his damage without a prototypical WR1. He’s had only one wideout post 90-plus receptions in a season (Marquise Brown in 2021), and just three posted 1,000-yard receiving seasons (Brown in ’21 and Zay Flowers in ’24 and ’25). This offseason, the Ravens have brought in a new coaching staff (HC Jesse Minter and OC Declan Doyle) while losing tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar and fullback Patrick Ricard to free agency, so there could be more three-receiver sets in Baltimore in 2026. Both Flowers and Rashod Bateman are decently productive players, but they are better suited as WR2s behind a true “X” … like A.J. Brown. Daniel Jeremiah recently mocked Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson to the Ravens at No. 14 overall, but what if GM Eric DeCosta could land an already proven No. 1 with that same pick? Plus, Baltimore’s first-rounder would be the highest selection Philly could bring in this year among my theoretical packages, giving Roseman and Co. their best shot at scoring a top edge rusher. Brown would be the best receiver Jackson has played with to date and upgrade the role played by DJ Moore role in Doyle’s offense in Chicago. |
| AFC SOUTH |
| HOUSTONThe Texans have exercised the fifth year option on both of their 2023 First Round picks. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: The Texans had a pair of fifth-year option decisions to make this offseason and they’ve made the same call on both of them. Field Yates of ESPN reports that they have exercised their 2027 options on the contracts of quarterback C.J. Stroud and edge rusher Will Anderson. Stroud was the second overall pick that season while Anderson joined the team after they traded back up to the No. 3 pick. Stroud is now set to make $25.904 million in 2027 while Anderson will be in line to make $21.512 million. There could still be other contract news involving both players. They are extension eligible and the Texans could lock up either or both players well beyond 2027 if negotiations go well in the coming months. |
| AFC EAST |
| NEW ENGLANDThe New York Post has worked hard to try to tie Patriots coach Mike Vrabel to an extramarital relationship with Dianna Russini of The Athletic: Exclusive photos obtained by Page Six appear to show the New England Patriots‘ head coach Mike Vrabel and the New York Times’ top NFL reporter holding hands and hugging at a luxurious hotel. Vrabel and Dianna Russini — a former anchor on ESPN’s flagship “SportsCenter” who now holds the official title of “senior NFL insider” at the Gray Lady’s sports publication, the Athletic — were spotted two weekends ago at the Ambiente in Sedona, Arizona, a boutique resort set against the breathtaking Brins Mesa mountain range. Spies said that Vrabel and Russini appeared to be visiting the hotel without anyone else in their group. A Page Six spy tells us that the pair — both married to other people — had breakfast on the patio of the hotel restaurant around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 28, before spending a leisurely hour or so together at the pool and lounging side-by-side in a hot tub. Our spy spotted Vrabel and Russini again that evening on the private rooftop of one of the hotel’s bungalows, which feature glass walls offering panoramic views of the state’s famed Red Rock formations. Roofs are only accessible from the two-person bungalows, which cost up to $2,160 a night. Photos show the two hugging at sunset, and weaving their fingers together as they stand face-to-face. The spy said they saw the pair briefly dance together. They spent about an hour and a half around the pool on Saturday morning, we’re told.Dianna Russini walking next to a pool at the Ambiente Sedona hotel. We’re told Russini, here by the hotel pool, and Vrabel left the area separately. Both Russini and Vrabel insist they were there with friends and say they simply weren’t visible in the pictures. A source close to Russini says she was staying at the hotel during a hiking trip with two female pals. One of Vrabel’s friends told Page Six that they and the coach drove up to Sedona for the day with another pal and that they all drove back to their own hotel, some two hours away, after hanging out with Russini and her gang. But three other eyewitnesses told us that they did not see anyone else with Vrabel, 50, and Russini, 43. Asked if the Pats coach visited the hotel with a group of friends, one eyewitness said: “No, he was with a girl.” And our sequence of photographs taken at various points during the day show only Vrabel and Russini. Vrabel attended a scouting event at Arizona State University in Tempe on Friday, March 27, before traveling 125 miles to the Ambiente. The adults-only Ambiente prides itself on being a romantic getaway, boasting on its website about the 158 proposals that took place and the thousands of anniversaries and honeymoons that have been celebrated at the hotel. After being seen with Russini, Vrabel headed to the Biltmore hotel in Phoenix for a meeting of the NFL Competition Committee, a group of owners and coaches who oversee the game’s rulebook. Russini was among many NFL reporters at the Biltmore on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday of last week when media had access to owners, executives and coaches. On Thursday, the Athletic published a dispatch about the Biltmore meetings written by Russini and Jacob Robinson. Russini has been one of the more prominent football reporters in the country for more than a decade and routinely covers the Patriots as part of the gig. She joined “SportsCenter” in 2015 and has appeared on ESPN’s popular “NFL Countdown” and “NFL Live” shows. In 2023, she joined the Athletic, the once-independent site that was acquired by the Times and now provides the paper’s sports coverage. Russini hosts its “Scoop City: Inside the NFL” podcast. Vrabel, who played eight seasons as a linebacker for the Patriots, took over as the team’s top coach in January 2025 and stunned the league by taking the team to the Super Bowl this year. The six-time Super Bowl-winning Patriots are ranked by Forbes as the fourth most valuable team in the NFL, worth around $9 billion with an annual revenue of $762 million. Vrabel is believed to earn around $15 million a year. He and Russini go way back. Covering the Tennessee Titans was Russini’s first NFL beat at ESPN. She was the network’s boots on the ground in Nashville by the time Vrabel came in as head coach in 2018. “They went from being [a team] nobody thought about to Mike got them playing really well,” she said of the 2018 Titans on the “Patriots Unfiltered” podcast in February. “And then, of course, they went to the AFC championship game” in 2020. In 2015, Russini weathered a controversy when the wife of the Washington Commanders (then the Redskins) GM Scot McCloughan publicly accused them of having an affair. After the reporter broke a story about Kirk Cousins replacing Robert Griffin III as the Redskins’ starting quarterback, Jessica McCloughan reportedly wrote on Twitter, “I’m pretty sure this info is coming from my husband to his new side chick, Dianna.” Jessica deleted the tweet and her account and apologized to Russini. “I deeply apologize for the disparaging remarks about an ESPN reporter on my personal Twitter account. The comment was unfounded and inappropriate, and I have the utmost respect for both the reporter and ESPN,” she wrote at the time. “I regret that my actions have brought undeserved negative attention to the Redskins organization and its leadership. My comments in no way reflect the opinions or attitudes of the organization and I regret that my behavior has in any way negatively impacted the team and its loyal fan base.” Whoever this “spy” is they went to considerable lengths to get the photos over a significant period of time. It just doesn’t sound like happenstance. Mike Florio: The Post has published photos of Vrabel and Russini, as explained in the article, “holding hands and hugging” at a resort in Arizona other than the resort where last week’s NFL annual meeting occurred. The photos speak for themselves. And the relevant parties have said their piece about the images. “These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” Vrabel told the Post. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.” Russini gave the Post a statement, too: “The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day. Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.” She’s right about interactions away from stadiums and other venues, but there’s arguably a difference between the interactions depicted in the photos and the usual interactions between reporters and sources. The Athletic, for its part, doesn’t seem to be troubled by the development. “These photos are misleading and lack essential context,” Steven Ginsberg, executive editor of The Athletic, told the Post. “These were public interactions in front of many people. Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL and we’re proud to have her at The Athletic.” The Patriots had no comment on the situation, in response to an inquiry from PFT. Again, it’s an inherently private issue. But both have become public figures. And both have provided comments on the situation. The photos ultimately are what they are. Whether they are innocent or not (or whether “many people” were present) will be in the eye of the beholder, and reasonable minds may differ on what the images depict. Whether anything comes from it remains to be seen. One thought from Scott Kacsmar: @ScottKacsmarA hug? They’ve known each other for years, I can see it. Shooting the shit at the hotel pool? Makes sense. But I think the holding hands pic is the smoking gun. That’s just not normal behavior between two adults married to other people. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| 2026 DRAFTBen Solak of ESPN.com predicts exact landing spots for all the QBs in the draft: It’s very unlikely that I’ll get more than one pick exactly correct (thank you, Fernando Mendoza), but the exercise is less about precision and more about investigation. What do teams value in QB2s? What does development as a backup actually look like in the NFL? It isn’t a particularly dense quarterback class, so I have nine names for you. These are the quarterbacks I expect to be drafted and where I’d handpick them to be selected. And I even included one trade up the board to land one of them. Round 1, No. 1: Las Vegas RaidersFernando Mendoza, IndianaHeight: 6-5 | Weight: 236 | Scouts Inc. ranking: QB12025 stats: 72.0% completion rate, 3,535 yards, 41 TDs, six INTs (seven rushing TDs) Mendoza will be the first pick for the Raiders, so there’s little use talking through the exact dominoes that got him there. But when it comes to fit, there is a question. New Las Vegas coach Klint Kubiak heavily relies on under-center alignment in his offenses, as evidenced by Sam Darnold’s 171 under-center dropbacks last season in Seattle. It’s not just the volume; it’s also the value: Darnold averaged 10.8 yards per attempt from under center, which was second to only Lamar Jackson. Mendoza had two dropbacks from under center this past season with Indiana and three the previous year with Cal — it’s simply not something he has done in college. But I believe the issue is dramatically overblown. It’s 2026, and we’ve been discussing under-center dropbacks for more than a decade of NFL draft coverage. I remember sitting in my college dorm room and manufacturing concern when Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes and Mitchell Trubisky combined for three shared under-center dropbacks in the 2017 draft class. NFL teams know how to work around this issue. The major worries about a quarterback suddenly running an offense from under center are twofold. First, will his footwork be clean and rapid enough to get to wide zone handoffs or land on seven-step dropbacks with appropriate timing? Second, how well will he read defenses when he needs to turn his back on play-action fakes? If it doesn’t come right away, there are pitches, pistol alignments and rollouts to skirt the issue in the short term. Mendoza is a notoriously bright young quarterback who integrated himself wonderfully in the Indiana offense with just one offseason. He has excellent pocket footwork from the shotgun and often accelerated or shortened his dropback to work with the timing of Indiana’s RPO-heavy approach. When I look for guys who will quickly adapt to new alignments, this is exactly what I try to find. There’s also a chance — and this is critical to examine — that none of this is real. It was a big deal that J.J. McCarthy had pro-style experience from under center at Michigan; it was going to smooth his onboarding process to the Kevin O’Connell offense. It was 54 total dropbacks, and it didn’t help much. And Caleb Williams’ eight collegiate under-center dropbacks (and 84 NFL dropbacks in his rookie season) were supposed to limit him in Ben Johnson’s offense come 2025. It was a rocky September, yet by December, Williams was humming. Different individuals struggle with different things, and I have no doubt that some Air Raid quarterbacks of the 2010s discovered a larger learning curve than expected when they finally got under center. But it’s an evidently solvable problem, and Mendoza is an evidently trustworthy prospect to make the transition well. At this point, so few college QBs generate a significant sample of under-center dropbacks. Wondering about Mendoza in Kubiak’s offense but feeling confident in Ty Simpson’s 48 under-center dropbacks in, say, Sean McVay’s offense is making mountains out of molehills. Mendoza isn’t as good of a prospect as some highly touted first overall picks, such as Williams or Trevor Lawrence. But he’s more than deserving of the top slot and more than capable of fitting into an elite offense coached by Kubiak. Round 1, No. 31: Arizona Cardinals (projected trade with NE)Ty Simpson, AlabamaHeight: 6-1 | Weight: 211 | Scouts Inc. ranking: QB22025 stats: 64.5% completion rate, 3,567 yards, 28 TDs, five INTs (two rushing TDs) When will Simpson go? I think he’s a Round 2 player, similar in grade to where I had Tyler Shough and Jaxson Dart last year. Of course, Dart ended up going in Round 1 with a small trade up for the Giants so that they could secure the fifth-year option — a critical year of extra contract control for a big-money position. The same could and likely will happen with Simpson, especially in a thin QB class. To move from No. 34 to No. 31, it should take only a fourth-round pick or so, and the Patriots would be wise to target a 2027 pick (which they could then flip as part of a package for Eagles receiver A.J. Brown). Simpson has an extremely likable game. He gets through his options briskly and with great footwork. He’s always loaded and ready to throw, which allows him to connect on deep-breaking routes with anticipation. Pressure can draw out the worst in Simpson, as he short-circuits into bad scrambles or big accuracy sprays. But he also has moments of fearless delivery into big hits and great throws off platform. In that he’s only a 15-game starter, it’s reasonable to believe he’ll round into a more reliable performer on pressured dropbacks as his career continues. For a green quarterback, Simpson’s pre-snap recognition and command at the line of scrimmage is impressive. The son of a longtime Division I coach, he clearly has good film room habits, which will benefit him in the NFL even if he doesn’t start right away. With Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew rostered, the Cardinals wouldn’t feel rushed to play Simpson, which is always optimal. Simpson does need some more development. He simply isn’t as accurate as you’d like for a quarterback who’s going to be a distributor from the pocket, and he’s already a little limited by his height in that regard. Landing in a Mike LaFleur offense is a snug fit, as the Cards’ new coach can crib much of what Kyle Shanahan has done for Brock Purdy to make the system work with a shorter quarterback in the pocket. But Purdy has wonderful creation ability on the move, and Simpson isn’t as dangerous a scooter. But Simpson does show the blend of anticipation and decision-making to be the point guard in the modern iteration of the Shanahan/McVay scheme. The Cardinals’ pass catchers might not be ready to run it, as they need better secondary options to emerge behind Trey McBride and Michael Wilson (looking at you, Marvin Harrison Jr.). LaFleur, who struggled to get development from Zach Wilson when in New York, might not have all the answers for Simpson. But it’s easier than ever to get functional play out of rookie-contract quarterbacks in the league, and Simpson has more than enough talent to clear that bar. Once the Cardinals have a rookie-contract starter, they can start the long process of spending their way into contention with the Seahawks, Rams and 49ers with whom they share their division. Taking the leap on Simpson is the first step. Round 3, No. 99: Pittsburgh SteelersGarrett Nussmeier, LSUHeight: 6-2 | Weight: 203 | Scouts Inc. ranking: QB32025 stats: 67.4% completion rate, 1,927 yards, 12 TDs, five INTs (one rushing TD) The connection between the Steelers and Nussmeier is obvious. When Mike McCarthy was the head coach in Dallas, Nussmeier’s father, Doug, was his quarterbacks coach. Doug Nussmeier has stayed in the coaching tree, too, following Kellen Moore to the Chargers, then the Eagles and then the Saints. In that the Steelers need a developmental QB2 with more legs than 2025 sixth-rounder Will Howard, Garrett Nussmeier would be an option no matter what. The family connection only helps. Nussmeier isn’t the biggest quarterback, which can be a concern for AFC North play in the uncovered Acrisure Stadium. He’s 6-foot-2 with 9⅛-inch hands. But over 1,804 career snaps at LSU, Nussmeier had only seven fumbles, which is a testament to his ball security. Nussmeier is a strong pocket navigator who can buy an extra half-second while setting up to throw, and he has a wily arm that layers the ball well in intermediate windows. He has a lot of polish on his game and should be called a pro-ready passer for his post-snap acumen. But he’s also uber-aggressive. Nussmeier pushes the ball downfield on early downs when easy, reliable checkdowns are available and throws into traffic from unbalanced platforms late in the down. He has enough of an arm in general, but for such throws, he needs a spectacular arm in the NFL. This disposition is delightful on late downs, when high risks are worth the high rewards: 47.4% of Nussmeier’s third-down pass attempts in 2024 went for first downs, fifth in the country. But on early downs, the juice isn’t worth the squeeze on those low-percentage downfield tries. He’ll have to learn how to live for second-and-10 in the league. To this end, Nussmeier would greatly benefit from some time behind Aaron Rodgers, should the veteran return as the starting quarterback for the Steelers. Rodgers is a remarkable risk manager who uses his elite pre-snap process and speedy decision-making to avoid turnover-worthy plays while still finding downfield opportunities. I’m confident that Nussmeier is a sharp quarterback — sharp enough to run McCarthy’s gun-heavy, dropback-heavy offense — but he needs some calibration in the risk management department. Rodgers, should he show any interest in developing a young quarterback behind him, would help there. Nussmeier’s 2025 season was marred by a core injury that impacted his velocity, and it’s fair to throw much of that film out. His 2024 film looks like that of a Day 2 quarterback, and if he falls late into Round 3, it’ll be because of concerns around that injury at his size. A year sitting in Pittsburgh gives him a long runway to recovery and no expectations for immediate production, should he end up playing some in relief of Rodgers. Round 4, No. 130: Miami DolphinsDrew Allar, Penn StateHeight: 6-5 | Weight: 228 | Scouts Inc. ranking: QB62025 stats: 64.8% completion rate, 1,100 yards, 8 TDs, three INTs (one rushing TD) Allar is a tough nut to crack in this draft class. He has been named the toolsy developmental prospect of favor … but he isn’t even as toolsy as North Dakota State’s Cole Payton or Arkansas’ Taylen Green, who will likely go later. He has the traditional height, weight and arm talent of a dominant pocket passer, but the deterioration of his play from 2024 to 2025 puts a hiccup in his developmental projection. (Allar was limited to six games after a season-ending ankle injury last season.) Despite a strong arm, Allar never really pushed the ball downfield in Penn State’s offense. In his three seasons as a starter, his most aggressive season (2024) saw an air yards per attempt of 8.2, below the nation’s average of 8.4. This is particularly worrisome because Allar enjoyed a low pressure rate (21% in 2025, second to only Carson Beck) and long time to throw. Yet he still didn’t find opportunities or success throwing downfield. Allar can make anticipation throws into tight windows against the sideline or to the middle of the field, and that’s tough to teach. Winning with arm talent on rhythm throws from the pocket is how C.J. Stroud excelled for Bobby Slowik with the Texans in 2023 and 2024, and that’s how Allar will find success in the NFL. The Dolphins are invested in Malik Willis for 2026 and even into 2027, given his contract guarantees, but using an early-Day 3 pick on Allar would allow him to beat out Quinn Ewers for the QB2 job and challenge for QB1 reps in 2027 if Willis struggles. The Dolphins have so many draft needs that they might pass on quarterback entirely. But they also have so many picks (three third-rounders) that taking the leap on a falling Allar wouldn’t impact their rebuild and could even accelerate it if he hits. Round 5, No. 152: Dallas CowboysCarson Beck, MiamiHeight: 6-5 | Weight: 233 | Scouts Inc. ranking: QB52025 stats: 72.4% completion rate, 3,813 yards, 30 TDs, 12 INTs (two rushing TDs) The QB2 job is up for grabs in Dallas, with incoming Sam Howell battling incumbent Joe Milton III for the right to back up Dak Prescott. This is not a particularly thrilling QB2 battle. Milton is an inexperienced developmental QB who excites with his highlights but cannot be trusted for reliable play. Howell is a one-time starter who was traded twice last season as the Vikings and Eagles tried him out as a backup before moving on. Dallas doesn’t need to add a third body to that battle. But with three picks in the fifth round and an otherwise deep roster, why wouldn’t the Cowboys take a chance on a QB should one fall into their lap? Beck was considered a potential Day 1 riser over the course of his college career, but his time in the College Football Playoff with both Georgia and Miami has made his limitations clear. His accuracy and his arm talent are both only average, so he needs to be an impeccable decision-maker in order to thrive. But coverage rotations and pressure both bait him into poor choices, and it’s unlikely those habits will go away in the NFL for a player with so much experience already. When kept clean, Beck plays well within himself. He throws with anticipation and decisiveness, and he can flash high-caliber precision to pull receivers away from coverage when working between the numbers. Beck is very much a rhythm/confidence thrower who lets his mistakes compound, but he can also get into a pocket and throw with NFL timing and zip. This is a trait he shares with Prescott, who looks like the league’s best quarterback when he’s hot in the pocket. Some insiders report that Beck will go earlier than this, as he trades on a high recruiting status and plenty of postseason football under his belt. I remain dubious, as it’s tough to find a cardinal trait for Beck to hang his hat on as a starting NFL quarterback. But Beck has maturity and big-game experience, and the Cowboys’ past couple of forays into QB2 development have been heavily indexed on traits (Milton, Trey Lance) — it’s time to zag back to the Cooper Rush side of the aisle. Round 5, No. 160: Green Bay PackersTaylen Green, ArkansasHeight: 6-6 | Weight: 227 | Scouts Inc. ranking: QB42025 stats: 60.7% completion rate, 2,714 yards, 19 TDs, 11 INTs (eight rushing TDs) Figuring out the range for Green is very tricky. He was a historically athletic quarterback at the combine, with a 4.36-second 40-yard dash, a 43½-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot-2 broad jump. It’s easy to draw comparisons to quarterbacks such as Anthony Richardson Sr. and Cam Newton, but they’re easily recalled because both also had the film to go in Round 1. Green doesn’t. His throwing mechanics are extremely rough, making him more reminiscent of Colin Kaepernick than Richardson or Newton. Green’s accuracy is predictably scattershot, and his inconsistency hitting layups makes it tough to build a reliable passing game around him. As such, any offense fielding Green would need to rely heavily on the QB running game; he should see 10-plus carries in any game he plays, a league-leading rate. Under Matt LaFleur, the Packers have hugely prioritized athleticism at the QB2 spot. The outgoing Malik Willis is one of the league’s best dual-threat quarterbacks, but even QB3 Clayton Tune was one of the best testers at his position. Behind Jordan Love are Desmond Ridder (another great tester) and Sean Clifford, so the QB2 job is wide open. Green might go two rounds earlier as a true developmental starter (think Jalen Milroe, whom the Seahawks took at No. 92 last year). But my guess is he ends up being a longer dart throw who goes in the middle of Day 3, and the Packers are the sort of team that likes to take those chances. Round 5, No. 179: New York JetsCole Payton, North Dakota StateHeight: 6-3 | Weight: 232 | Scouts Inc. ranking: QB72025 stats: 72.0% completion rate, 2,719 yards, 16 TDs, four INTs (13 rushing TDs) I am doubtful that the Jets will make an early investment at quarterback in this draft. Perhaps they really love one of the non-Mendoza quarterbacks and want to take the swing on Simpson, Nussmeier or Beck. Given the patience general manager Darren Mougey has exhibited so far at the helm, I think a starting job for Geno Smith and an exploratory, late-round stab at a developmental QB make far more sense. Another read I have on the Jets: Coach Aaron Glenn likes quarterback mobility. His defenses have historically struggled with mobile QBs — defensive coaches gravitate on offense toward what gives them trouble on defense — and he was quick to advocate for Justin Fields as the first stopgap option in New York. Payton was a Taysom Hill-like playmaker for North Dakota State over his college career, rushing 84 times for 13 touchdowns in 2023 in sub packages behind starter Cam Miller. I really like Payton as a Day 3 option accordingly. He provides short-yardage value as an option quarterback, with a bulky frame and great tackle-breaking ability. Most QB runners are long striders who avoid contact, but Payton can actually run through it like a goal-line back. As a one-year starter, the lefty showed a good willingness to test intermediate and downfield windows. Payton has a huge dip in his throwing motion, and retooling his release into a quicker motion would help make up for average ball velocity. He isn’t ready for a full dropback menu right now, but there’s a legit ceiling here for a guy who has flashed pro-style throws in limited opportunities. Payton is unlikely to see enough game action (or produce enough if he does) to deter the Jets from investing early in a 2027 draft class QB1. If he does hit, he has a high dual-threat ceiling profile in the mold of Jalen Hurts. Of all the gambles a team could take on Day 3, Payton is my favorite. Round 6, No. 200: Carolina PanthersCade Klubnik, ClemsonHeight: 6-2 | Weight: 207 | Scouts Inc. ranking: QB112025 stats: 65.6% completion rate, 2,943 yards, 16 TDs, six INTs (four rushing TDs) The Panthers traded away their longtime QB2 and valuable spot starter Andy Dalton this past offseason, leaving only Kenny Pickett behind Bryce Young. As such, I could see them adding a QB2 candidate much earlier than the sixth round. But I’ll stick with the late-drafted, (relatively) local kid in Clemson product Klubnik. An ex-five-star recruit, Klubnik has a great arm with solid throwing mechanics. His best throws come on his deep ball, which he can also deliver well on the move, and his quick upfield stride takes a lot of linebackers by surprise. Klubnik is a classic “give a receiver a chance” sort of quarterback — he’ll hang a lot of catchable balls on high trajectory throws, and his accuracy falls off when forced to drive breaking routes between windows. Klubnik would benefit from supersized receivers such as Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker (a big slot), as they’re able to win downfield with boxout positioning. He isn’t a one-to-one style fit to Young, but having a backup who plays similarly to the starter is an overrated advantage. When Klubnik plays on time, he reminds me of Dalton, who didn’t play much like Young anyway. Struggles with timing and anticipation have marred Klubnik’s film at times, but coach Dave Canales has historically succeeded at getting quarterbacks (Geno Smith, Baker Mayfield) to play a quicker brand of football. The marriage could work for Klubnik as a rookie contract backup. Round 6, No. 215: Atlanta FalconsLuke Altmyer, IllinoisHeight: 6-2 | Weight: 210 | Scouts Inc. ranking: QB82025 stats: 67.4% completion rate, 3,007 yards, 22 TDs, five INTs (five rushing TDs) In a class like this, it’s easy to talk oneself into a few Day 3 dart throws. Altmyer is one of those effortless sells. An ex-four-star recruit who initially committed to Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin, Altmyer isn’t lacking for physical talent. He has a zippy release and highly reliable accuracy in the quick game and on RPOs. Throwing on the move doesn’t impact his accuracy much, and he is an efficient scrambler (66.7% success rate last season). Projecting NFL stats for top draft prospects • Which WRs have the best Playmaker Scores?• Which RBs have the best BackCAST scores?• Which Edges have the best SackSEER scores? Most importantly, Altmyer is tough as nails. He will take a brutal shot to get a throw off or put his shoulder down to make the first-down marker. He makes his best plays on late downs or in the final quarter. Of course, that willingness to hold the ball leads to a worryingly high sack rate, which will limit his ceiling in the NFL. Many of Altmyer’s strengths and weaknesses are similar to those of Dillon Gabriel coming out of Oregon, whom Kevin Stefanski helped draft in 2025 with the Browns. Now with the Falcons, Stefanski already has two potential starters in incumbent Michael Penix Jr. and veteran signing Tua Tagovailoa. But neither represents a substantial investment for the new coaching staff or front office, and the QB3 job is open for grabs above veteran Trevor Siemian, who was a practice squad player with the Titans over the past two years. The Falcons don’t need to add a QB3, of course. But Altmyer is a stylistic fit, and any team with as open a competition as Atlanta’s is a candidate to add a quarterback to the room. |
